The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-19

Legations concerning the interest Of |
mcials In public contracts ere % |
trained q TO be entirely incense. |
uentisl. The cltissn Of fair mind, or |
must admit that Mr.. Had.
len and his associates have vastly lon.
'roved the city's condition. The evi.
lences Of this are plain on every hand.
TO Mr.. Hidden belongs the credit of
making tie great reduction In the
isbt Corporations having dealings
with the city complain Of his
vigorous exactions. Contractors
have found him Their hardest
customsr. Thisve, and vsgabonds
know him to be meiciless, and the
buHsards that once lowered In the sky
above Memphis arc gone. Under his I'D.
and that Of DR.. Porter the
city has grown grandly from 10000 dis
heartensd people In 1880 to $1,000
confident and progressive people In
1887. Mr.. Hidden has stsered the
ship with the hand Of q master. Has
he always proceeded BY the chartf
We do not know. The grand jury says
10 has not. Bat the chart was exper.
imsntal-mads 10 cover probsbili.
tiss-sonewhst at random. Mr..
Hidden, with bis eye single to "ths
general welfare Of the inhsbltants"--
the main thong t Of the Taxing Dis.
triot Act-hss pilotsd the ship safsly.
II he has sailed the ship over q spot
where the chart ssid O reef existed,
because the evidence OF his own eyes
made II palpabls that no reef existed |;
II he has deviated Q point from the
line laid down, because he aw there
was danger where the chart
said there was none-shsll he
be hurled into prison and
his name be made iniamousf This IL
the question which the grand jury OF
Shelby county has presented to the
people. That body has gone over the
record Of the Haddsn administration
with microscope that msgni6ss to
tho ten thousandth degree; under the
lens email things, trivial things, as.
sumo immense proportions. When
the jury detected dsviatlons II did not
consider the motives. wnen Il die.
covered what Il believed to have been
technical iniractions Of the law
II did not pause % inquire
whether or not such infractlon might
not have been exceptional In q gen.
sral observance Of the true spirit Of
the Law, and an exceptions rendered
imperative by necessity. No, Il Ia.
norsd the trend Of the administration,
II ignored the good results, IL ignored
the ultimate successes, II ignored the
elevation Of the people out Of the
slough Of Despe 3D." II Ignored
everything but the ass on the barn
door. These under the txasgersting
lens Of lie microscope became moI.
sters, and II presented to the people
pictures Of these Hiss, and babe
the people TO be afrightsd. The pso-
pie viii reiass TO be appalled,. They
will not refuse 10 consider the impor.
TANGO Of the actual service and the mo-
tivss Of the HIDDEN administration.
They will not refuse to remember the
character Of the trust they gave into
the hands Ct Mr.. Hsdden Ave yesrs
ago. The city then lay PROSTATE
under its terrible misiortunss. Heroic
measures were necessary TO save Il
from death. II was q period that do
msnded. above oil things, personal
integrity In public ofii sials and ALSO
lutte loyalty b "lhe general welfare Of
the inhsbitsn,s." Most vorthily have
those upon whom the great responsl
billty was bestowed acquitted them
selvea The people do not demsr
their indictment, and the people d.
not want . change.